Automotive manufacturers are well known for incorporating various types of airbag systems into their vehicles. These airbag systems typically include one or more crash sensors, which are utilized for detecting a crash event and actuating the deployment of one or more airbags. As is known, these airbags ordinarily are utilized for cushioning an occupant in a crash event and gradually stopping that occupant's momentum over a relatively long period of time. Specifically, the occupant can press into a deployed airbag, compress the gas within the airbag, and force the gas out of the airbag.
Moreover, automotive manufacturers are also known for incorporating seatbelt restraints into their vehicles. Each seatbelt restraint typically includes a lap belt portion and a shoulder belt portion. Both the lap belt portion and the shoulder belt portion are intended to restrict forward movement of the occupant during a crash event.
It would be desirable to provide an occupant restraint system that utilizes a variable-output airbag system and a seatbelt restraint system in combination for allowing an occupant to contact a fully deployed airbag after the occupant has imparted a maximum load on his seatbelt restraint.